Residents in Sherwood Park, Alberta, can now access free training to help save lives during cardiac emergencies. As part of Heart Month in February 2026, Strathcona County is offering a program called CardiacCrash to teach people how to handle heart-related crises.
The sessions are run in partnership with Heart & Stroke Canada and use a game-like format to teach skills in less than one hour. People aged 13 and older, including school and work groups, can learn how to perform chest compressions and use an automated external defibrillator (AED).
About 35,000 cardiac arrests happen in Canada every year, but fewer than 10 per cent of people survive on average. Using chest compressions can double a person’s chance of survival, while using an AED can triple the survival rate.
The training focuses on a simple tool called SUN to help residents identify an emergency: Sudden collapse, Unresponsive, and Not breathing. These sessions are part of a broader effort by the local government to provide essential services, following the approval of the 2026 budget in December 2025.
Mayor Rod Frank and Strathcona County Emergency Services are promoting the program to ensure the community is prepared to help before paramedics arrive. By making the training fast and interactive, the county aims to make life-saving skills accessible to every household.
